Thursday, May 29, 2008

Odesnik Watch, Day 4

So this Grand Slam, because so many names are moving right through the draw and so many Americans are washing out in the standard fashion (nice work today James Blake, you lost to the 80th ranked player in the world), we're going to take at least this first week to follow players who go largely unsung.
On the men's side, it's Wayne Odesnik, he of the 4 hour three set first round match. He didn't have to wait long to play his second round match, and didn't have to play too long before he dispatched Taiwan's Hyung Taik-Lee to advance to the second round.
I'm not sure how much we'll have to say about him after tomorrow, except maybe some thoughts about getting to the airport on time, because he faces #3 seed Novak Djokovic. That's a tough road, but also the opportunity of a lifetime. Here's to The Big O pulling of the upset of the year tomorrow!
For the ladies, we must focus on Alize Cornet, who is the tournament's 19th seed and has a nose that is, well, Cleopatra-esque. Best of all, she's French, and any Gallic hope in the home tourney is a big deal. The whole country went ballistic when Yannick Noah won in 1983, so here's to a Frenchwoman pulling off the same feat 25 years later. She'll be in action tomorrow.

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